Oh, Christmas tree... (Part 1)

I awoke to more snow and another e-mail from the newspaper saying they could not deliver this morning.  At least it is beautiful, as shown in the view above from my front porch.  Looking outside at the snow and listening to Pandora's Christmas music on the computer, as well as ingredients for baking coming to room temperature in my kitchen... lovely.

My daughter surprised me with a new post on her blog this morning, showing some of her Christmas decorating... here.  I realized I hadn't shown pictures of my tree, yet.

This is what I call my Charlie Brown tree as it is just a very cheap artificial tree that looks wonderful when decorated, something like Charlie's tree.  Here is what it looked like last year on the porch, decorated with dried orange slices and homemade cinnamon ornaments...

I had put it on the porch and used another inexpensive tree inside.  Since there was no room to store both, I gave the other tree to Goodwill and kept Old Faithful.

I made the three topper when Christopher was a toddler, never expecting to be using it so many years later.  Some years I put the tree topper Stephanie gave me as a gift and other years a pretty more glamorous angel... all of them theologically incorrect.

When not in use on the tree, the other two take their place elsewhere... usually among the snowmen.

I made this needlepoint decoration when Stephanie was an infant.

The stained glass ornament at the left was given to me by my mother during my early married years, I only have a couple of them left.  The cute vintage girl was a fortunate thrift shop find.  I've been looking for vintage ornaments through the years.

There is a store in town that always sells the most beautiful and unique ornaments... and quite pricey.  In the 1990s, I would often go there for the day after Christmas sales for cards, wrapping paper, and to see what was left of their ornaments. 

I was thrilled to find this one year at half-price (which put it at a reasonable cost).  I love the illusion it gives of a light filled warm and cozy house on the inside with a snowy wonderland outside.  Definitely a favorite!

More pictures to follow...